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THE ART OF AMBITION

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WHAT COULD WE DO WITH PICARDY PLACE?

Now that public consultation on the future of the Picardy Place island seems to be indefinitely stalled, Leith ward's Cllr Gordon Munro floats an exciting idea that could transform the area for years to come.

On the basis that knowledge is wonderful but imagination is even better, Spurtle wants to kick-start a conversation. Let us know what you think of Munro's idea, or describe an alternative.

COUNCIL TO ‘ENGAGE’ BY TELLING

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Council-hosted ‘information events’ about its controversial communal-bin review will take place across Spurtleshire and beyond this month.

As we understand it, these will relay Council intentions, and may consider fine-tuning details. But they won’t involve discussing basic principles or the virtues of bin-hubs over gull-proof bags.

NORTH BRIDGE – PARTIAL CLOSURE COULD LAST 9 MONTHS

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North Bridge will close to northbound traffic for up to nine months, starting on 13 November.

The western footpath will also be closed, but the eastern one will be reopened.

In addition, North Bridge will close completely from 8pm to 6am (between Princes Street and the High Street) on 13, 14 and 15 November.

The closures are to facilitate relaying of pavement slabs and kerbs, surfacing works, drainage upgrades, and repairs to waterproofing.

On the underside of the bridge, repairs will be made to the reinforced concrete deck.

OLD FACE, NEW FASHIONS

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Readers may remember that human remains were recovered last year during excavation of South Leith Parish Church.

Today, Trams to Newhaven have released facial reconstructions of how one of those excavatees might have looked in life during the late Middle Ages (below), and how she might look now if she were alive today (foot of page).

The same underlying skull appears throughout.

CONTROVERSY AS BROUGHTON PRIMARY OPENS

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In Issue 312 we reproduced an article from 25 November 1896 which looked forward to the imminent opening of Broughton Primary School.

Two days later, additional journalism in the Edinburgh Evening News looked back at the inaugural event, and in so doing revealed some familiar fractures over how limited public resources are allocated across the capital.

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